Android Thoughts: On Jon's Phone: Titanium Backup

"On Jon's Phone" is an ongoing series of short posts about software that I personally use. The goal is to provide a Android fans a quick spotlight on an app they might have not seen yet, and get those who do use these apps talking. Thanks to AppBrain, you can now view all the apps on my phone, and even subscribe to me within the app (username: jonwestfall)!

There are quite a few ways to backup and restore apps in Android (such as my first method, good old ADB) but Titanium Backup is a must have solution for anyone looking to really keep a handle on their apps. First of all, it lets you schedule backups regularly. By donating a small sum, you can also keep older versions of apps on hand just in case a new update mucks up your existing setup. You can backup programs as well as data, and the program is pretty peppy. I regularly like to clean my phone of apps I'm not using, and this lets me do that without worrying that I'll be somewhere soon and need that app again - I can always restore it! The only downside is that you must have root access to your phone, and for some of the advanced features, a $3.99 license is required (you're encouraged to donate more if you can). A great app to check out - so great it's built into some custom ROMs!